[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 29, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H2821-H2823]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         SENSE OF HOUSE ESTABLISHING NATIONAL WATERMELON MONTH

  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
resolution (H. Res. 578) expressing the sense of the House of 
Representatives that there should be established a National Watermelon 
Month, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 578

       Whereas watermelon production constitutes an important 
     sector of the agricultural industry of the United States;
       Whereas, according to the January 2006 statistics compiled 
     by the National Agricultural Statistics Service of the United 
     States Department of Agriculture, the United States produces 
     4,200,000,000 pounds of watermelon annually;
       Whereas watermelon is grown in 49 States, is purchased and 
     consumed in all 50 States, and is exported to Canada;
       Whereas evidence indicates that eating 2.5 to 5 cups of 
     fruits and vegetables daily as part of a healthy diet will 
     improve health and protect against diseases such as cancer, 
     high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease;
       Whereas proper diet and nutrition are important factors in 
     preventing diseases such as childhood obesity and diabetes;
       Whereas watermelon has no fat or cholesterol and is an 
     excellent source of the vitamins A, B6, and C, fiber, and 
     potassium, which are vital to good health and disease 
     prevention;
       Whereas watermelon is also an excellent source of lycopene;
       Whereas lycopene, an antioxidant found only in a few red 
     plant foods, has been shown to reduce the risk of certain 
     cancers;
       Whereas watermelon is a heart-healthy food that has 
     qualified for the heart-check mark from the American Heart 
     Association;
       Whereas watermelon has been a nutritious summer favorite 
     from generation to generation;
       Whereas it is important to educate citizens of the United 
     States regarding the health benefits of watermelon and other 
     fruits and vegetables; and
       Whereas July would be an appropriate month to establish as 
     National Watermelon Month: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of 
     Representatives that there should be established a National 
     Watermelon Month to recognize the health benefits of 
     watermelon and the importance of watermelon to the 
     agriculture industry of the United States.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. Kucinich) and the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio.


                             General Leave

  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Ohio?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in support of H. Res. 578 that will establish a National 
Watermelon Month.
  Watermelon has been enjoyed over the years as one of our country's 
favorite foods. As Mark Twain said, ``It is chief of this world's 
luxuries, king by the grace of God over all the fruits of the earth. 
When one has tasted it, he knows what the angels eat.''
  According to the United States Agriculture Department statistics, the 
United States produces 4.2 billion pounds of watermelon annually. This 
summertime staple ranges in size from 5 pounds to over 40 pounds, and 
is grown in 49 States. Many towns in the U.S. strive to become the 
Watermelon Capital of the World; however, Cordele, Georgia has won this 
title repeatedly by producing the biggest, best, and most abundant 
watermelons in the country. Watermelon may be eaten in a variety of 
ways and is also often used to flavor summer drinks, including sweet 
red wine.
  And lest anyone accuse us of dealing with a frivolous subject, let me 
call attention to a serious matter. In a time where we have all become 
aware of the benefits of good nutrition, it is fortunate watermelon 
provides an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B, and 
vitamin B1. Additionally, many other beneficial minerals are

[[Page H2822]]

contained in watermelon and are shown to help prevent cancer, heart 
disease, high blood pressure, and a host of other serious diseases. 
Furthermore, the antioxidant lycopene, found only in a few red plant 
foods, has been shown to reduce the risk of certain cancers. Because 
watermelon is such a nutritious, heart-healthy food, the American Heart 
Association has qualified watermelon for the well-known ``Heart-Check 
Mark.''
  The great joy of eating a slice of watermelon on a hot summer day 
lives in the memories of almost all Americans. For these nutritious and 
delicious reasons, I express my support to a National Watermelon Month 
that will provide the watermelon industry many opportunities to market 
their product and to educate the public about the health benefits 
associated with consuming watermelon through various related programs.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1545

  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for her 
expression of support for the resolution. I am also going to support 
the resolution. I just want to add one note of observation so that all 
those who are enjoying watermelons in this country also keep in mind 
the people who do the work, who pick those watermelons. It is hard 
work.
  Today we have other bills under suspension that will give us a chance 
to celebrate the work of laborers. I think that it is important that we 
are grateful for those who pick the watermelons, and we have to 
recognize in this market where there are increasing restrictions on 
migrant workers, making it very difficult for farmers to get the kind 
of labor that they used to get. We are also seeing that many farmers 
are beginning to turn to prison labor. This should be a concern to us, 
all of us who want to make sure that all of those people out of jobs 
right now in this country who would like to work on farms would have 
the chance to get that work.
  There is an article from the Christian Science Monitor that refers to 
this problem. I would like to include that in the Record. There also is 
an article about a settlement that was reached with workers regarding 
the attempt by a major agricultural company to circumvent Department of 
Labor rules and also circumvent the H-2A program that resulted actually 
in a settlement of a very prominent lawsuit about a month ago. I would 
like to include that article from the Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid.

          [From the Christian Science Monitor, Aug. 22, 2007]

                    U.S. Farmers Using Prison Labor

       With tightening restrictions on migrant workers, some 
     farmers are turning to the incarcerated.
       For labor-rights activists, federal immigration reform is 
     the only viable solution to worker shortages.
       Marc Grossman, spokesman for the United Farm Workers of 
     America, says inmate labor undermines what unionized farm 
     workers have wanted for years: to be paid based on skill and 
     experience. ``It's rather insulting that the state [Arizona] 
     would look so poorly on farm workers that they would attempt 
     to use inmates,'' Grossman says. There is also the food-
     safety aspect, he says: Experienced workers understand 
     sanitary harvesting.
       ``Agriculture does not have a reliable workforce, and the 
     answer does not lie with prison labor,'' says Paul Simonds of 
     the Western Growers Association, a trade association 
     representing California and Arizona. ``This just underscores 
     the need for legislation to be passed to provide a legal, 
     stable workforce.'' A prison lockdown would be disastrous, he 
     points out, with perishable crops awaiting harvest. Other 
     crops, like asparagus and broccoli, require skilled workers.
       Although the ADC is considering innovative solutions--
     including satellite prisons--to fulfill companies' requests 
     for inmate labor, prison officials agree that, in the end, 
     the demand is too high. ``To go into a state where 
     agriculture is worth $9.2 billion and expect to meet a 
     workforce need is impossible,'' says Katie Decker, 
     spokeswoman for ADC. At any given time only about 3,300 
     prisoners statewide (out of a prison population of about 
     37,000) are cleared to work outside.
       ACI provides inmates to nine private agriculture companies 
     in Arizona, ranging from a hydroponics greenhouse tomato 
     plant to a green chile cannery. Unlike other sectors where 
     federal regulations require that inmate workers be paid a 
     prevailing wage and receive worker compensation, agriculture 
     companies can hire state inmates on a contract basis. They 
     must be paid a minimum of $2 per hour. Thirty percent of 
     their wages go to room and board in prison. The rest goes to 
     court-ordered restitution for victims, any child support, and 
     a mandatory savings account. Private companies are required 
     to pay for transportation from the prison to the worksite and 
     for prison guards.
       For Reyna, his work on farms over the past couple of years 
     has added $9,000 in his savings account and given him a 
     renewed respect for his Mexican father's lifetime of stoop 
     labor.
       At Dixon's farm, it's 103 degrees F. The inmate crews, 
     wearing orange jumpsuits, work in a rhythmic line, calling 
     out the number of the watermelons, and alongside the trailer. 
     Just a few yards away, Mexican workers also work in a line. 
     The inmates will quit at 4 p.m., while the immigrant laborers 
     may work 13-hour days. ``We go back, they stay out there,'' 
     Reyna says. ``It really isn't the same.''
       In the farm's office, watermelons line the counter, and 
     photos of migrant workers hang in dusty frames. When asked 
     why he doesn't sell the farm, Dixon says, ``the inmates, the 
     migrants, these people are part of the family--that's why I 
     keep this darn place.''
       Dixon says he supports the idea of a reformed, guest-worker 
     program that would employ migrant workers during the harvest 
     and return them to Mexico in the winter. But until that 
     happens, he's willing to fight for the workers he's shared 
     the land with for most of his life.
       ``People are crossing the border because they are starving 
     to death,'' Dixon says, ``I don't care what their status is. 
     If they are hungry and thirsty, I am going to feed them.
       ``I could sell this and quit,'' he continues, ``But I 
     believe in supporting the American farming industry.''

    [From the Texas RioGrande Legal Aid Press Center, Mar. 26, 2008]

   Farmworkers Reach Settlement in Lawsuit Against Watermelon Grower

       Eagle Pass, TX.--Twenty two Texas farmworkers have reached 
     a settlement with three Rio Grande Valley companies over a 
     lawsuit regarding the importation of more than 400 foreign 
     guestworkers into the United States between 2001 and 2007.
       Represented by Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA), the 
     leading provider of legal aid in Texas, the workers claimed 
     that Nowell Borders, L.P., Hargill Harvesting & Packing, 
     Inc., Mata Trucking Company, and Martinez Packing Company, 
     upon advice of counsel, misused the U.S. visa program to hire 
     foreign labor and avoid providing housing, transportation, 
     and meals to workers. The companies applied for guestworker 
     visas using the H-2B program instead of the H-2A program 
     which would have required the recruitment of domestic workers 
     at higher wages.
       ``This settlement signifies a commitment on behalf of all 
     four companies to engage in fair employment practices and 
     respect the rights of American farmworkers,'' said TRLA 
     attorney Javier Riojas. The settlement also creates a 
     mechanism for resolving future disputes without resorting to 
     litigation.
       John Flanigan, Executive Vice President for Hargill 
     Harvesting and Packing, Inc., states he was pleased with the 
     agreement that was reached and enjoyed working with TRLA to 
     resolve the dispute.
       The companies compensated the workers for more than $60,000 
     in wages and agreed to modify their employment practices so 
     that U.S. workers are hired first and receive equal pay and 
     benefits compared to foreign workers. The companies also 
     agreed to use the H-2A guestworker program that provides more 
     benefits and protections for workers than the H-2B program.
       Originally filed in October 2007, the lawsuit also targeted 
     the Department of Labor (DOL) for its failure to enforce the 
     regulations on the guestworker program. The case against DOL 
     is not part of the settlement and is still ongoing. See 
     Riojas, et al v. Chao, DR-07-CA-058, W.D. Tex., filed Oct. 9, 
     2007.
       ``The law guarantees that U.S. workers have certain 
     protections over foreign labor. The Department of Labor 
     looked the other way in this situation and the federal 
     government, of all entities, should be looking out for U.S. 
     workers the most,'' added TRLA attorney and Equal Justice 
     Works Fellow Jake Wedemeyer.
       Established in 1970, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Inc. (TRLA) 
     is a nonprofit organization that provides free civil legal 
     services to low-income and disadvantaged clients in a 68-
     country service area. TRLA's mission is to promote the 
     dignity, self-sufficiency, safety and stability of low-income 
     Texas residents by providing high-quality legal assistance 
     and related educational services.

  If we keep in mind there are 4.2 billion pounds of watermelons grown 
in this country annually, we understand that this is a very important 
business. It is also, as my friend Representative Foxx points out, a 
matter that relates to nutrition and health; and let's face it, 
enjoyment. People love watermelon. While enjoying it, we need to keep 
in mind the people who are doing the work raising this tremendous 
fruit. Let's remember those workers and make sure that they have basic 
rights. Let's make sure that they can make a living and support their 
families. Let's

[[Page H2823]]

make sure that they live in conditions that are humane. In that way we 
can truly celebrate National Watermelon Month, not only for those 
consuming watermelons, but also those helping to grow and harvest those 
watermelons.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I want to give thanks to all those who grow 
and produce watermelons and make it possible for all of us to eat them, 
those who plant, grow, and pick them and get them to markets where we 
can enjoy them. I urge Members to support the passage of H. Res. 578.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady and congratulate 
her on her service in the Congress and say how much I enjoy working 
with her.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich) that the House suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution, H. Res. 578, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________